It would appear that Microsoft isn’t finished with Windows Live tweaking as there now appears to be a new SkyDrive logo which was noticed by PicturePan2 at Livesino. The logo first appeared on the Windows Live Preview site.

This logo works well with the new Hotmail logo for the suite which has debuted with the roll out of the new Hotmail.

I do like the new SkyDrive logo although now it isn’t nearly as apparent as to what the service offers unless people know about “the cloud”. I am also wondering is all online service will be receiving a new logo all follow the similar theme of a single colour and 2D object offset with a rotation. You will also notice that the “live flare” or golden band is the same for both logos, the same can not be said of the icons for the Windows Live applications.

I would expect Microsoft to release the new logo some time in August which is when we are expecting the Windows Live Essentials 2011 suite’s final version  to be released.

Well my initial thoughts on the beta are that it is great, there are just so many nice features that even after using the leaked version and reading all about it on the Preview site I see didn’t know about. However, as there are so many good points to the Essentials suite I think I would end up writing a far too long of a post so instead I’ll let you know where I have issues with Windows Live and it wont just be the obvious complaints live lack of new features in Writer as that has already been said.

I think my biggest complaint (and in writing this I have become to dislike it even more) with the whole Windows Live suite now lies with SkyDrive and Sync and this is because the online part of SkyDrive that is for the files that Sync keeps updated doesn’t work like the rest of SkyDrive. Normally on SkyDrive you can view photos, films and open Office documents however in the 2GB area for Sync this is not possible. It makes absolutely no sense to me, surely the online aspect of Sync should allow people to access files quickly and easily from wherever they are, having to download a file and then open it in other application hugely defeats the purpose of SkyDrive.

I might understand this is this was a brand new product but considering the files are stored in SkyDrive it seems to me like Microsoft have put extra effort into disabling the default functionality of the online storage service. Just when I thought Microsoft have nailed most aspects of Windows Live, online service and integration they do this. I am actually very, very annoyed about this, it makes no sense. If anyone from Microsoft would care to provide an explanation for this reduction in service I’d be very keen to know more about it.

Grrrr. Its a massive step backwards.

On a less annoying note for some reason when signing into Web Messenger the client version of Messenger gets a tad confused and thinks I’m signed into 3 or 4 places, clearly not true.

Do you have any complaints with the service that haven’t been mentioned elsewhere? Or is there a feature that you think hasn’t received enough praise? Leave a comment.

After many months of waiting, expecting and hoping the latest version of version of Windows Live Essentials is on our PCs, if its not you should download it. Many of you will have kept up with what is new in the suite of the applications but for those that haven’t I shall brush over some of the best features of the applications in this post.

In generally you will immediately notice that Microsoft have brought the ribbon interface to many of the applications which I find to be absolutely excellent. There are two applications that don’t use this interface though, Messenger and Sync, both of which appear to use a Metro inspired interface, that isn’t to say it is completely like the Zune software.

Messenger

When first starting Messenger you will notice some different things from previous versions, a greater focus on social interactions through other social networks like Facebook. By connecting you Windows Live account with your Facebook one you are able to have a single contact list from various social networks and have updates from them appear in the social pane in Messenger allowing you to see what your friends are doing across the web in a single place. The social stream can be customised somewhat by choosing who your favourite contacts are which then makes their updates appear in the highlights section.

Another great new feature of Messenger is tabbed conversations which has been a long time coming but is finally here. Its surprising how useful this is until you come to use it quite a lot.

Then there are some less obvious features of Messenger such as high definition video chat which, providing you have a HD web cam, allows you to chat with friends in more detail than ever before, its even possible to leave someone a video message if they aren’t online. Integration of Bing results within conversation windows to allow users to quickly add images, videos etc into a conversation.

Mail

Aside from the Ribbon interface in Mail there are some obvious changes in the way of emails being sorted with a conversation view which groups all the emails from a contact into a single group which makes following a conversation much easier, its possible to turn this off; emails now support flagging too. On the right hand side of the window is a new “slim cal” which brings the calendar functionality of the Mail program into the inbox.

Microsoft have worked hard on making sharing media much easier in the new version of Essentials and in Mail it’s now possible to create a photo email which stores up to 200 images on SkyDrive rather than sending them and clogging up people’s inboxes. The photos can then be viewed or downloaded by the recipient from a very nicely formatted email.

Writer

I, like many others, think that the new version of Writer got the least amount of attention from Microsoft compared to the other applications in the suite. However it is now possible to embed photos in new ways, one mimicking the photo email look of Mail and results from Bing searches can be easily embedded into blog posts. Perhaps the best update to the application is extremely tiny but brilliant, when adding a link to a post the address is auto-filled from the clipboard.

Movie Maker

You might remember that the current version of Movie Maker is not even a year old and features the ribbon interface so this wont appear too different for many users. Microsoft have added quite a few more transition effects, auto movie themes, greater editing functionality and more options for publishing and sharing.

Photo Gallery

There are many new features and improvements in Photo Gallery with the major ones being facial recognition and auto tagging which gets smarter as more faces are tagged. There is a new find tab that introduces several filters and tags that can all be used together to allow any photo to be found.

The application now features some new ways to edit photos including batch edit, Photo Fuse which allows users to merge the bits from several photos of the same thing to create one perfect photo and retouch which allows users to edit small blemishes etc on photos.

Other additions to the application include multitouch support and Windows 7 Libraries integration.

Sync

Sync features in the Wave 3 version of Windows Live but it has undergone a massive transformation in Wave 4. The application now replaces Live Mesh making use of the technologies of the synchronisation program which allows users to sync files and folders across many PCs and even storing them in the cloud on Windows Live SkyDrive; however only 2GB of data can be stored in SkyDrive and it is a separate section of the online storage service. Sync also features Live Mesh’s remote desktop functionality but also brings a new feature that syncs program settings across a user’s PC, this currently only shares program settings for Office and Internet Explorer.

Windows Live Wave 4 is an excellent, if overdue, update the suite of applications and when combined with the online Windows Live services there is very little competition for the Windows Live service. I have found these applications to be quicker on my PC and the images on the Messenger social pane look stunning.

I will be interested to know what you think of these updates and your experiences with them applications.

Well then I guess we should now start to look for Windows Live Wave 5 news…

Current images are from the Windows Live Preview site not my own.

I am hearing from more sources that there will indeed be a beta tomorrow for the new Windows Live Essentials suite but more than that it is thought that Microsoft will announce the beta tonight with downloads to follow tomorrow, June 24rd . The announcement today, 23rd, is expected to start at 11 PM GMT.

There isn’t much more to announce other than Microsoft will obviously be touting how good the new applications work on Windows 7 and how easy it to share the files edited and created in the apps with services in the cloud. Microsoft will also be keen to emphasize the importance of Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Mail and Sync.

You might want to keep an eye on http://essentials.live.com and http://messengerdownload.live.com tomorrow, both are currently not allowing downloads.

Update: Microsoft have announced the beta, just like I said they would, keep checking the sites above for the download.

Today Microsoft have released their app for the iOS platform in the way of a Windows Live Messenger app, we have known this was coming for some time. The app allows users to chat to their contacts, both Windows Live and Yahoo! Messenger, view the updates from friends via Messenger Social, edit, upload and share photos and its possible to access Hotmail from the app.

The description of the app is:

Windows Live Messenger for iPhone and iPod Touch is the best way to connect with the people that matter most and keep up with the things they are doing across the web. Use your iPhone to instant message your friends list, view and comment on your friends’ photos and status updates from Windows Live, Facebook, and MySpace, and at a glance, see what your Messenger friends are sharing from Flickr, YouTube, and many other social and photo sharing sites. Make sure to visit http://profile.live.com/Services today and setup Windows Live to bring in your social networks. Messenger is simply the best way to connect with your closest friends.
Chat: Instant message with your Windows Live Messenger and Y! Messenger contacts on the go so you’re always connected to the people that matter most. You can even receive IM notifications when your app is closed so you never miss a message.
Social: Windows Live Messenger gives you one place to view the updates your Messenger friends are sharing from social networks like Facebook, Flickr, MySpace and more, helping you cut through the clutter on the go.
Photos: Upload photos right from your phone to share your favorite moments with the people that matter most. Create albums, add captions, and let your friends and family comment on your photos.
Hotmail: Access your Hotmail account without leaving the app to read, reply to, and compose emails. Get email notifications within the application so you know when you have new messages.

Not owning an iOS device myself I have to rely on other people’s opinions about it and as far it looks good with a 5 star rating after 22 votes on the app information page. I hope you all enjoy using this app. You can download the app from iTunes.

Update: I have just received the official information about the Messenger App and a new picture from Microsoft. The official information is:

The Messenger iPhone app is free and includes many of the same rich Messenger features that you’d experience on a PC. With the app, users can:

• Instant Message with multiple friends, allowing users to view chat history, use emoticons, send a ‘nudge’ to a friend who isn’t responding, and share links and photos via Instant Message
• The app also includes push notification of new chats, so users can see when they receive a new IM when they’re not already interacting with the app
• Access their Hotmail account without leaving the app to read, reply to, and compose emails
• Receive email notifications within the application so users know when they have new messages
• View the updates your Messenger friends are sharing from social networks like Facebook, Flickr, MySpace and more
• Upload photos right from your phone, allowing you to create albums, add captions, and let your friends and family comment on your photos

The URL for the download from iTunes on your PC is: http://itunes.com/apps/windowslivemessenger

Users can download from their iPhone by searching for “Windows Live Messenger” in the App Store

Here’s a picture of someone trying to contact a friend who isn’t in the Messenger app.

Francisco Martin Garcia has just posted an exciting article about Windows Live Wave 4, expect to see the beta of Windows Live Essentials 2011 next Thursday/Friday, June 24th/25th, depending on where in the world you live. He claims this is 100% confirmed, which fits in very nicely with what I have heard, and I have no reason to doubt him.

He also notes that the final version of Windows Live Essentials 2011 wont be available in the middle of August, as previously thought due to unforeseen circumstances, but instead in September.

Are you excited? I known I am.

Now that the roll out of Windows Live Wave 4 has started I thought I would share with some of my thoughts and opinions about the suite of services both the good and bad.

There are many aspects about Windows Live Wave that I love; in fact many, many more things I love than I can be bothered to write down but I thought I share with you of the shining aspects of the suite and some of the best features.

Messenger Social, this stream of updates from all my contacts on all their services is great, allowing me not to have to go to each site to find out the latest pieces of information. Yes this was introduced in the Wave 3 update but now its possible to comment on the articles which shows up on the original service is great, also being able to share my Windows Live updates on various services is very useful.

Photos Slideshow, I really liked the Silverlight slideshow in the Wave 3 update, however Microsoft have really upped the ante with Wave 4 with nice transitions, larger images, more information about the image and other Windows Live services within the slideshow viewer. It is also possible to add comments to photos now and even chat to Messenger contacts.

Messenger, it has finally happened, we can now access Messenger properly in any browser when we want too. Over the past few days I have used the service and found it to be very reliable and the tabbed window is a great space saving aspect.

Whilst not disliking any aspect of the Wave 4 update there have been a few things I would like to see tweaked in the suite. The first thing is being able to sign out of the online Messenger in exactly the same place one signs into it. Currently users sign into the feature by hovering over Messenger in the header but have to sign out by hovering over their name on the right side of the header. This has caught me out a few times already and I have known how this works, its not a major problem but certainly a place of irritation for me and likely others.

I’d also like to have a page dedicated to the Messenger Social which replicates the look of the social pane in the new version of Messenger. Only being able to see the social stream on the home page of the Windows Live suite is a bit restricting. It would also be nice to set a default filter on the social stream so rather than having it default to Highlights it could be set to Recent instead.

I know there’s just no pleasing some people, seeing as I have only just got access to the Wave 4 update, but I’d just thought I’d share my opinions on how Windows Live could be even better and maybe there are still a few other things to come, we have yet to get the new version of Hotmail.

Do you have any niggles with the Wave 4 update? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet and if there are enough I might write a post about them.

I have just woken up and after checking Twitter  see that Windows Live Office has been launched at http://office.live.com which is excellent news!

I then wondered if it was possible to change the theme of the Live suite of service with the new headers and it is.

I then wanted to check if the older part of the Windows Live suite would use one of the new headers…and found that my Windows Live Profile page had also updated to Windows Live Wave 4. Everything on this page appears to have been enabled including privacy controls and the Messenger Connect services.

I have now continued to check every Windows Live service and have found that Windows Live Home, SkyDrive, Photos and Groups have all been updated to Wave 4. Below you can see some of the image of the various updated services.

One other thing I have found is that the emails sent out from Windows Live Groups to notify the group owner that someone wants to join the group has received a make over.

This is great news and I now look forward to Windows Live Hotmail being updated and for the suite of applications to be made available for download, not long to go now. Despite not being able to view the new Contacts page it is possible to access the unified contacts list through the Bing search on most Windows Live pages, the search also allows searching of documents and the web.

One final thing I have seen is that I don’t think the Home page is compete yet, there appears to be a distinct lack of content on the right hand side.

Microsoft have released another website today in aid of informing people about what is coming with the large update to Windows Live, http://explore.live.com/. As you would expect there is lots of information about the new features of the Windows Live applications and services but there are two things that show even more of the update than perhaps Microsoft were expecting; you can preview the new themes to one of the new ones and use Messenger WebIM.

To access the WebIM you can go to http://explore.live.com/handlers/webim.mvc which is the “popped out” version of the WebIM. Then sign in which will present a list of contacts online which replicates the look of the client version of Messenger in Wave 4 with two columns of contacts.

Two useful parts of the pop out window I have discovered is that you can easily see if you have any new emails as a number will appear beside the Hotmail icon and you can collapse the contacts list so you only see the chat window.

If you can’t wait for Windows Live Wave 4 then I am sure some of these features and information will be quite exciting to you, not long now until its all official and we can all use it.

Just in case you weren’t aware Microsoft have updated its windowslivepreview.com page with lots of new information, images and videos about the Windows Live Essentials suite. There seems to be quite a bit of praise for some of the new features of the applications, especially the Fuse feature of Photo Gallery. I shan’t be writing up a post about this as I’ve covered the important bits already in What We Already Know and Microsoft have a good article on their Inside Windows Live blog.

You might be wondering why I have been quite quiet over the past few days, well it has been for good reason as I have been working on a new site for myself, michaelgillettonline.com/, and as you can probably see I have tweaked the design of this site.